Stacking Up

What it is:  Discovery Toys stacking cups

Where to find it:  www.discoverytoys.com

Alternatives:  There are many other brands of stacking cups.  Check out the follwing:  Stacking cups

If you do not have, or do not want to buy, stacking cups, there are plenty of other options already in your home!  Try cans from your pantry, plastic containers from your cupboard, toilet paper rolls, books, etc. 


What to do with it:  take turns stacking (turntaking, joint attention), requesting recurrence (more), signing ("more", "please", "up"), requesting object (cup), describing, (up, down, colors, size), knock down (ready, set, go, boom, uh-oh, oh-no), color sorting, size sorting, use the cup as an echophone (vocalize into the cup), knock cups together (action imitation), beat on cups like a drum (action imitation), hide toys under the cups (object permanence), hide your eyes (peek a boo--social game/turn-taking), pretend to drink/give baby a drink (pretend play)

Why:  Action imitation--important for the development of other cognitive skills. Helps improve eye contact and interaction.  Turntaking--another important factor in childs development, and essential in conversation as speech and language develops.  Joint attention (a shared experience between a child and a partner)--an essential skill needed for language, speech, and social skills.  Requesting recurrence or objects and commenting on objects is first seen between 13-17 months of age.  Finally, early play behaviors are related to the development of communication skills, and therefore developing appropriate play skills is an important precursor to the development of communication skills.   

Fun developmental fact of the week:  By age 24 months, a child should be using approximately 50 words, and beginning to combine 2-3 words.